Schwab Teams Up With University of Colorado Boulder on New
Certified Financial Planner Track

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. has entered into a five-year commitment with the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder to develop and invest in a Certified Financial PlannerTM (CFP(R)) program, aimed at readying undergraduate students for careers in financial planning and wealth management. A generous charitable investment will fund scholarships, as well as the creation and enhancement of extensive coursework and exam preparation required by undergraduate students who wish to launch a career providing financial planning and advice.

This collaboration will fill a need for CFP Board Registered Programs in the region, as industry growth outpaces workforce growth and a significant generation gap faces the industry. The average age of a financial planner today is 51, according to data produced by research firm Cerulli Associates1, and CFP(R)s are listed as number five on the 2015 Best Business Jobs by U.S. News & World Report2.

“As a recognized provider of finance education for the state of Colorado, the Leeds School of Business must keep pace with the growing demand for CFP(R)s, and we see this program as creating a competitive advantage for the school,” said Roberto Caccia, faculty director for the Burridge Center for Finance at the Leeds School. “The program will offer a significant enhancement to our finance curriculum and will help many of our students launch professional careers after graduation by providing them valuable professional development opportunities.”

Development of the CFP(R) program at the Leeds School will begin in the fall of 2015 and is expected to attract more than 80 students once fully implemented. The new CFP(R) program will consist of courses covering the following topics required by the CFP Board:

Introduction to Personal Financial Planning

Investment and Portfolio Management

Retirement Planning

Insurance and Personal Risk Management

Estate Planning

Income Tax Accounting

Communication & Counseling Skills

Financial Planning Project and Capstone

The CFP(R) and Certified Financial PlannerTM marks are certification marks owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., and are awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. This certification enables career paths for finance graduates into budget and financial analysis, financial management, real estate broker, insurance sales and underwriting, and securities, commodities and financial services sales.

“We are very excited about the development and success of this program. Our hope is that it will widen the pool of skilled job candidates who share our values in serving consumers,” said Mary Stork, senior vice president of portfolio consulting at Schwab and member of the Leeds School of Business Board of Alumni and Friends. “In recent years at Schwab, we’ve placed a lot of emphasis on expanding our corps of CFP(R)-credentialed employees who can assist our clients on the phone as well as in our branches, and we believe this credential is a valuable asset for employees of any financial services firm.”

Last October, Schwab opened a campus in Lone Tree, Colo., which serves more than 2,000 employees, essentially creating a financial hub in south Denver. The Leeds School of Business at CU-Boulder enrolls close to 3,000 undergraduate students, with finance students representing the largest area of concentration within the school at nearly one-third of its total undergraduate population. Stork called the collaboration between Leeds and Schwab “a natural fit.”

At Charles Schwab we believe in the power of investing to help individuals create a better tomorrow. We have a history of challenging the status quo in our industry, innovating in ways that benefit investors and the advisors and employers who serve them, and championing our clients’ goals with passion and integrity.

The Leeds School of Business has a proud history. Formed in 1906 as part of the University of Colorado, Leeds is proud to be the eighth oldest business school in the United States. Through a culture centered on integrity and excellence, Leeds is devoted to producing innovative, principled business leaders who are equipped to drive value, graduates who possess the analytical abilities and skills needed to succeed in a globally competitive marketplace, and students who are nurtured in academic programs by top-tier faculty and staff. Today, the school enrolls more than 3,300 undergraduate and graduate students in degree programs that include accounting, finance, marketing, and management and entrepreneurship. Learn more about the Leeds School of Business by visiting www.colorado.edu/leeds.

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